Methods and devices to treat nasal airways

Abstract

Methods and devices for treating nasal airways are provided. Such devices and methods may improve airflow through an internal and/or external nasal valve, and comprise the use of mechanical re-shaping, energy application and other treatments to modify the shape, structure, and/or air flow characteristics of an internal nasal valve, an external nasal valve or other nasal airways.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method for treating a nasal cavity of a patient, the method comprising:
 advancing a treatment element of a treatment device into a nostril of the patient;   contacting multiple electrodes on the treatment element with mucosa lining the nasal cavity; and   delivering radiofrequency energy from a first electrode of the multiple electrodes, through the mucosa, into a submucosal tissue, and then to a second electrode of the multiple electrodes, while leaving at least a third electrode of the multiple electrodes in an inactive state,   wherein delivering the radiofrequency energy from the first electrode to the second electrode changes a property of the submucosal tissue.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising delivering radiofrequency energy from the third electrode, through the mucosa, into the submucosal tissue, and then to a fourth electrode of the multiple electrodes. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising delivering radiofrequency energy from a fifth electrode of the multiple electrodes, through the mucosa, into the submucosal tissue, and then to a sixth electrode of the multiple electrodes while leaving at least one of the first electrode or the third electrode in the inactive state. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein contacting the multiple electrodes with the mucosa comprises expanding multiple pre-shaped segments of the treatment element, and wherein each of the multiple pre-shaped segments has at least two of the multiple electrodes attached to it. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are located on a first segment of the multiple pre-shaped segments. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the first electrode, the second electrode, the third electrode, and a fourth electrode of the multiple electrodes are located on the first segment. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 measuring tissue impedance in the mucosa and the submucosal tissue between the first electrode and the second electrode, using an impedance sensor in a control system coupled with the treatment device; and   determining, with the control system, at least one of an amount of time to deliver the radiofrequency energy or an amount of the radiofrequency energy to deliver, based on the tissue impedance.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 delivering radiofrequency energy from the third electrode to a fourth electrode of the multiple electrodes;   measuring a first impedance in the mucosa and the submucosal tissue between the first electrode and the second electrode, using an impedance sensor in a control system coupled with the treatment device;   measuring a second impedance between the third electrode and the fourth electrode, using the impedance sensor; and   determining, with the control system, that at least one of the third electrode or the fourth electrode is not in contact with the mucosa, based on the tissue impedance.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising sensing a temperature of the mucosa with at least one thermocouple attached to at least one of multiple pre-shaped segments. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the submucosal tissue is selected from the group consisting of nerve, cartilage, and muscle. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein delivering the radiofrequency energy ablates nerve tissue. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising determining that the patient has a nasal mucus hypersecretion condition, wherein deactivating the nerve tissue ameliorates at least one symptom of the nasal mucus hypersecretion condition. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising displaying on a display of a control system an image illustrating radiofrequency energy being delivered by the treatment element.